The Truth is in the Wine
by k-girl20
Summary: Howl and Sophie have a fight, and the wizard goes out and gets drunk. He mistakes Sophie for someone else, and spills whatever beans he has of what he thinks of her. HowlxSophie


**Special Note: **I spelled most of the words drunk Howl says on purpose! This is a first for me, mainly because I can't stand it when people spell words wrong.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Howl's Moving Castle in any way, and if I did, there would be a sequel by now ^_^

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><p>Howl had been gone a lot lately. Ever since the curse was broken, he spent more time at the castle, but now… It was like he had been neglecting Sophie and Markl and Calcifer. Or hated them. Or both. Or was tailing another girl. Or maybe he was just busy being the Royal Court Wizard, having a cup of tea and eating biscuits with the king (which wasn't all that likely).<p>

Either ways, he was still gone a lot. And that bothered Sophie.

She'd try to find ways to sneak up to his room, for evidence of some sort, but Howl either caught her, or Calcifer told her it was locked.

Sophie was tired. Tired of Howl's "Oh, I'm busy, Sophie, tell me about it later, all right?" and all the other excuses he had. She was going to find out what was really on Howl's mind, even if it meant getting killed in the process (either that, or getting covered in the icky green slime).

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Howl barged out of his room late one night, hurrying down the stairs and making his way towards the door. Sophie looked up from sewing one of Markl's shirts, and set the stuff down. She stood up and blocked the door before the raven haired wizard got to it.

"And where do you think you're going?" she asked, hands on hips, raised eyebrow. With this pose, you could think she was some sort of over protective mother, or a suspicious wife. That which she practically is.

"I'm going out." Was all Howl answered. "now please, Sophie, if you would be so kind as to move away from the door, I'd like to leave." He was about to walk forward again, but the girl just held out her arm to stop him.

"Oh no. Not until you tell me what you're always doing lately. I must know or I'll keep worrying." Sophie narrowed her eyes. The wizard let out an annoyed sigh.

"What gives you the right to know my personal affairs? It's not like you own me." he let out in a rude, child-like matter. Sophie was shocked by this type of behavior, and held back the urge to downright smack him.

"I know I don't own you. I just feel that since I'm staying here, I believe I should know where you go, just in case something happens to you."

"Nothing's going to happen to me," Howl took a small step back to give themselves more room. "and nothing ever will, now please, step out of the way." Sophie got to a conclusion.

"It IS another woman, isn't it?" She let out, unable to keep her voice calm any longer.

"Say what?" Howl's eyes widened in surprise, and confusion. Calcifer, who was listening to the conversation, and had managed to sneak a peak at the wizard's face, managed to hold in a laugh.

"You're not even denying it! It must be true! You're seeing another woman!" Sophie felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "no wonder you are always away! And you're always acting so cold now! Howell Jenkens, you just don't know when to stop, do you?" Howl stared at the girl in amazement, but was still confused. "even after I gave you back your heart, you find it fitting to go out and break all those other girls' hearts…"

"No, Sophie, it's not-"

"I don't want to hear any of your lame excuses!" Sophie opened the door. "I want you out! **NOW**!" Howl quickly hurried out of the castle, noticing how it shook by the sudden raising of her voice. After he left, Sophie shut the door.

"I can't believe you kicked him out of his own home," Calcifer stated, just as surprised as Howl. Markl had come to see what was going on during the conversation, and he hurried back to work on a spell right after, obviously frightened of Sophie.

The girl just sat back down in her chair, and began to continue working on sewing.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Howl walked throughout Market Chipping, the place where he wanted to go in the first place. It seemed that nobody had gone anywhere else since he had gone to the castle, thankfully, since Sophie really hadn't given him the choice of changing the directions of the portal.

_I'm such a coward…_ the raven haired man thought, digging into his pocket and taking out a small black box. He stared at it, and let out a sigh, putting it back. _…yes, a coward._ He thought back to that upset look on Sophie's face several minutes before. He felt like a broken man.

He found himself in front of a bar, and walked in. He sat on a stool in front of the counter, and told the bartender what he wanted to drink.

Of course, since it was a bar after all, they'd serve alcoholic beverages (and water too), but it was pretty obvious that Howl was going to get one of the first option.

The bartender gave him a dink and Howl gulped it down, asking for another one.

He just decided to drink the night away.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Sophie leaned back in her chair, taking a break from sewing. Calcifer looked at her.

"You know, you should check on him. Or at least let him in." the fire demon said, acting as if Howl was a dog.

"Eh… I feel kind of guilty…" the woman said, staring up at the ceiling. "…I did lose it…" she sat up. "what if Howl wasn't seeing another woman?"

"Then it sucks to be you…" Calcifer mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Sophie asked.

"Oh, I meant, maybe you should go and apologize! Then everyone will be happy and we can get on with our lives!"

"You're right… he was probably doing something important… and it wasn't really any of my business anyway. If Markl asks where I am, tell him I'm out," the girl stood up and walked towards the door. She opened it, and walked out.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Howl let out a hiccup, and placed his glass down.

"Another one, pleeeaazzze," he slurred. The bartender looked at him questionably.

"Uh… don't you think you've had enough?"

"No!" Howl snapped. "thiz'll be my lazt one. PROMIIIZE."

"That's what you said last time…" the bartender took the glass and refilled it. He handed it to Howl. "but then, after this, you'll have to leave, all right, Sir?"

"FI-hic-NE," the raven haired man said, and gulped down the drink. He stood up from the stool, and wobbled towards the door. He stopped and stared at the doorknob, then stared at the bartender. "how'dju WURK thiz thing?"

After getting help with opening the door, Howl walked along the road of Market Chipping. Not that many people were out to watch him stumble around a bit in a funny manner. It was pretty obvious he was drunk. The man didn't notice there was someone walking towards him, so he decided it would be a good time to trip and fall.

Before meeting the ground, however, Howl felt someone helping him stand. He also felt it was a good time to poor out all his feelings on a total _stranger_.

"Hey, you know Soph-HIC-ie Hatter?" he asked, then chuckling because he kind of said the word 'hickey.'

"Uh… uh… Yes! I do." the person said in a higher tone of voice.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Sophie helped Howl walk along, trying to get back to the castle. She noticed he was drunk, and decided it would be safe to pretend she wasn't even her, and to be someone else. Since she would probably fail at a man voice (though, seeing that Howl was probably gullible at this time), she made her voice higher. So when the man had asked her if she knew… herself, she said yes.

"She prob'ly HATEZ me right now," the wizard said. "but I can't he'p it, NO, I'm hidin' a SCRET from 'er!"

_A secret, eh?_ Sophie raised an eyebrow, and continued with her higher pitched voice. "P-please do go on!"

"I have a RI-hic-NG for 'er. I's thinking' 'bout askin' 'er to m'ry me!" Sophie almost stopped breathing then.

"I-is that… so?"

"Yep!" Howl answered almost proudly. Then he suddenly looked as if he were sober. "but… I'm zuch a cow'rd… I keep goin' out t' get my kerage up… but I don' think I have any…" There was a long silence.

"It'z all my fault… she HATEZ me zo MUCH now… allz b'cuz I din't tel 'er 'bout whut I was doin'…"

They got to the castle, and Sophie let Howl walk in first. Then she walked in and before long, the raven haired man had passed out onto the floor, letting out a snore. Markl rushed into the room.

"Something smells really nasty!" he stated, and looked down at his master. Calcifer snorted.

"It's the smell of booze. Get used to it, Kid." he said. Sophie bent down and grabbed onto Howl's arm, bringing it over her shoulder.

"Markl, please help me get him up to his room." she said, and the boy obeyed. He rushed up ahead to open the door to the wizard's room. Sophie walked up the stairs and finally got the man onto his bed. She brushed some of the hair off of his face, and took her time to look at him.

_So that's what he'd been doing all this time…_ she thought. _…he was scared… probably because I might say no…_the young woman smiled, and sat by his bed side. Before long, she fell asleep, head resting on arms, arms resting on the bed.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Sophie woke up early that morning, and was suddenly fully awake when she heard Howl whine.

"Ugh, Hell's gates! I think I've got a hang over!" the man yelled, clutching at his head. Sophie giggled, and Howl looked at her surprisingly. "S-Sophie!" The woman smiled, and sat up to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Go ahead," she said. "ask."

"Ask what?" the raven haired man was confused. He was thinking more about his headache than what was really important at the moment. Sophie sighed and sat herself onto the bed, beside Howl. She leaned towards his ear.

"The answer is 'yes'," she whispered, and the man got what she meant.

"Sophie Hatter, will you marry me?"

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><p>My head hurt the entire time I was typing this XD But I had to get this done, lol. And no, I did not drink any type of alcoholic beverage, I just haven't slept right in a while.<p> 


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